NPR

Unhappy 10th Anniversary, Great Recession. You Still Hurt Us

The Great Recession began exactly one decade ago this month. Although the economy has been growing steadily for years, the downturn's impact is still deeply felt by millions who lost homes and jobs.
Job seekers line up to enter a career fair in Los Angeles, on Dec. 1, 2010. At the peak of the recession, the unemployment rate hit 10 percent. It's now 4.1 percent.

Ten years ago this month, you may not have noticed the cracking and crumbling under you.

At the time, you may have had a job, a home and rising retirement savings. Sure, the housing market was hurting a lot, but stock prices were still holding up and Federal Reserve policymakers were offering reasons for calm, saying they expected strong consumer spending.

But the Fed was wrong: In December 2007, an economic earthquake already was convulsing the country. It marked the beginning of the Great Recession, which lasted

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
Which Scientists Get Mentioned In The News? Mostly Ones With Anglo Names, Says Study
A new study finds that in news stories about scientific research, U.S. media were less likely to mention a scientist if they had an East Asian or African name, as compared to one with an Anglo name.
NPR2 min readWorld
Israel Strikes Iran, U.S. Official Says; Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' Is Here
Israel has launched a strike against Iran, a U.S. official tells NPR. Taylor Swift's highly anticipated "Tortured Poets Department" is here.
NPR2 min read
Tesla Recalls Cybertruck Over Sticky Problem. Blame It On — Yes — Soap
Accelerator pedals on the new Cybertrucks can get stuck, a potentially dangerous production flaw. The reason why they're so sticky is soap.

Related Books & Audiobooks